County government meeting honors Diana Lewis, Al Allen, several other prominent community members

Many prominent community members were honored during a local Oakland County government meeting Wednesday evening.

A representative for Patrick Coleman, owner of Southfield's Beans and Cornbread, accepted a proclamation for its 15 years in business, along with the entity's efforts in community service.

Commissioner Nancy Quarles, D-Southfield, gave praise to the sisters of the Delta Sigma Theta sorrority, which has more than 900 chapters across the U.S. and two -- Pontiac and Southfield -- in Oakland County.

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"Delta Sigma Theta has helped shape the lives of many young women ... and today is one of the largest African American sororities" in the nation, said Quarles.

More than 50 representatives from the Southfield location came to receive the honor, all of them dressed in red.

Two well-known broadcasters, Diana Lewis and Al Allen, were also given high honors during the board meeting.

"These are two journalists with a combined 90 years in the business," Dwyer said. "Al, I remember when you retired, you told me: 'No more hats, no more gloves ... no more scarves -- I just sit at home, drink my tea and be happy.'"

Lewis was commended for being the first female co-anchor for Channel 7 Action News with Bill Bonds, reporting hard hitting news, which was unconventional for female reporters in the 70s and 80s.

"I've been on a mission, and i love the mission," said Lewis, accepting the honor in tears. "But I don't think that mission has ended."

The retired anchor and Farmington Hills resident said she will continue to be an advocate within the community.

Allen, who was a reporter with Southfield-based Fox 2 News, accepted the honor after hearing his list of accomplishments, which included several Associated Press awards and other awards for his work with documentaries.

Dwyer congratulated Allen for being a "trailblazer in media," and for inspiring "generations of broadcasters, living out his core belief that as a broadcaster, you are the voice of the voiceless."

Being the jovial reporter he was for many years on television, Allen accepted the award, saying: "I'm just that same old guy."

After many photos and hugs, the two left the commissioners' auditorium, and Judge Julie A. Nicholson presented the state of the 52 District Court.

The courts of the 52 District Court, which are located in Novi, Clarkston, Rochester Hills and Troy had a total caseload of 147,141 cases in 2012, said Nicholson.

Compared to the previous year, "they disposed of 90 percent of their cases, which is an incredible feat," she said.

The chief judge also detailed the District Courts' ePay system, which allows citizens to pay their traffic tickets and court fees online.

It allows the court to "get payments much faster," she added.

Among the challenges for the courts in 2013 are staffing and concurrent jurisdiction.

After a brief public comment portion -- with a few animal activists voicing their opinions on animal cruelty -- the consent and regular agenda portions of the meeting moved forward.

Most committee resolutions, during the agenda portion of the meeting, were referred to the board's finance committee.